This weekly thread is a place where you can share your struggles, triumphs, links, resources, concerns, and questions about all things related to Natural Family Planning.

Please join the conversation!

Rebecca Teti

Comments

I recommend reading John and Sheila Kipley's books. We read together books on Natural Family Planning. We practiced the Sympto-Thermo Method. Try it. You will find out that you are Only Fertile, Three Days before Ovulation, the Day of Ovulation, and Three Days after Ovulation. You are Fertile Seven Days out of One Month.
Sperm can live Three Days, in the right conditions. The stretchy mucus allows for it to swim towards an egg. So, refraining from sex, during this time, for serious reasons, is okay, with the Catholic Church; provided both spouses consent.
Working together in your married life is, of course, God's Holy Will. May God be praised!

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 5:59 AM by unknown

I have a question about the Marquette post-partum method, which I am using, or trying to! I've been testing every other day, and every day when my fertility monitor reads two bars or higher. Anyway, it's been at two bars for almost a week. I haven't gotten my cycles back yet, and I was wondering if that's a sign of returning fertility or should I just regard it the way I would if it were only reading the lowest level? My husband seems to think it's the "new normal" and eventually the monitor will figure my body out and go back to the lowest level. I hope that's not too unclear, I guess what I'm asking is, is that normal, and does it mean that I have to abstain on days that it reads like that?

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 6:43 AM by MaryC

MaryC- I am also using the Marquette method postpartum. This was my sixth pregnancy, and he is now 8 months old but breast feeds almost exclusively so I have not had cycles resume yet. However this is the first time I have used this method so I am learning. I am using the breast feeding protocol which says to test every other day unless unless you get a high reading(2 bars) and then u test every day until you get a peak and cycles resume. To avoid a pregnancy you have to abstain when monitor is high or peak. In November I experienced a period where I was always getting high readings for almost 2 months. When I would reset the monitor after 20 days I would get a few days of low and then high again until I reset monitor. I read previously on this forum that once u get a high reading the monitor will always read high until u get a peak reading or cycles resume. While I know it is not foolproof, we would then pay attention to cervical mucous as we have been trained in Creighton method as well. As long as I was not noticing cervical mucous, we continued relations during this time. But technically to avoid pregnancy u need to abstain when monitor reads high or peak.

Mary C, I think unknown is right, based on how I understand the protocol. I'd post your question on the forum, just to make sure, though. It would probably to be good to do that, if only to verify for your husband that you need to abstain on high days.

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 11:59 AM by MR

Thanks for sharing the charting post link, Rebecca. I plan on teaching my girls to chart. They won't need to know all the rules concerning conception, but it's such a wealth of information about their bodies and their health. We are wonderfully made!

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 12:59 PM by Carolyn A

Hi Ladies,
Hope everyone is well today:) I just wanted to ask if anyone has ever found they have PCOS after having babies, and if/ you experienced secondary infertility. Also, if you've had low progesterone resume to "normal" after your baby is no longer nursing. Just really interested to see what other's stories are and how you've made it through!
God Bless,
MNS~

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 2:10 PM by MNS in Oregon

I don't have PCOS, but I had low progesterone prior to and during my most recent pregnancy. I was on supplementation for that during my first trimester, but my levels evened out after that. However, once my cycles resumed, I started noticing the symptoms again--so I would say my experience is the reverse of yours. I'm on 200 mg of progesterone for the last 10 days of my cycle now. I haven't had a blood test to confirm the deficiency yet (and probably won't until my check up in April), but I had the typical symptoms of spotting before and after menstruation, a shorter luteal phase, and moodiness/anxiety. The supplement I'm on now seems to be taking care of the moodiness and luteal phase, so I feel pretty confident that I was experiencing low progesterone. Having said all of that, my doctor has mentioned that any hormonal experience (pregnancy, miscarriage, and breastfeeding would all qualify) can affect progesterone positively or negatively, so it's possible that your progesterone level could have leveled out on its own.

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 5:08 PM by MR

@MaryC. I am post-partum for the 7th time but first time using Marquette. I have had numerous periods of "high" or 2 bar readings that seem to go on forever but they do spontaneously change back to low intermittently. I believe that these are "at risk" days for pregnancy so it depends on how badly you want to avoid . . . I suspect if you treat them as lows that there is a very good possibility that you will get pregnant. I say this as someone who has gotten pregnant at least 6 times without having my period after the prior pregnancy (hmm, sounds bad but I should note we didn't care/weren't trying to avoid, LOL). Therefore, while I know I am very fertile, it is still a time when MOST can get pregnant. (My husband was reading over my shoulder and groaned b/c he too is not real excited about the terminal highs!)

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 9:01 PM by anon

Thank you all for the help, I really appreciate it!

Posted on Feb 6th, 2013 at 9:55 PM by MaryC

NFP is great. No health risks whatsoever however doesn't the Church also teach temperance and self control? We are supposed to be above the other animals in creation in that we are able to use restraint in our coital activities. I heartily admire families that have two children and are also practicing NFP. They realize that we are approaching the state where human population is outstripping the resources on our planet. More than that however, they realize marriage isn't just about conjugal relations.

Posted on Feb 9th, 2013 at 9:59 AM by Sue

Even added difficult to rolex replica ascertain are what is frequently referred to as "frankenwatches." These timepieces,which cover Citizens,are accumulated from apparatus of different watch brands.The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is a archetypal watch that never goes out of style.This is a time section that has been to the acme of Mount Everest,sunk into breitling replica the Pacific Ocean and broiled to 500 degrees F,and it still looked and performed great.Retail amount for a Rolex is $5,000 to $10,000,so bethink the adage,"You get what you pay for" if your acquaintance tells you he can get you one for just $1,000.One of the a lot of affecting realities about online replica handbags is louis vuitton replica that they are alleged as the affluence artist replica handbags.Replica handbags or actor handbags appeal is ascent these canicule maybe because the abridgement is still down or there are abounding barter that do not wish to absorb their money on cher affluence artist brands.Today,these kinds of handbags can be begin just gucci replica about anywhere there are even accessible in beating off food and arrangement stores.Surely,replica handbags attending like the 18-carat designs of affluence accoutrements that they wish to archetype or imitate.The decidedly cheaper amount of actor accoutrements is usually one of the affidavit why there are abounding humans abnormally chanel replica the women buy them.Anyway,some replica handbags are superior backpack and a lot of of them are able-bodied fabricated and actor the attending of the branded ones.

Mission Statement|Catholic Digest connects with readers through personal stories of triumphs and struggles, joys and challenges, and also the lighter side of Catholic living. We are a source of support and encouragement for those who love their faith, those who struggle with their faith, and those who long to learn more about the richness of Catholic tradition.

We seek the positive in the world and in our Church. We emphasize those things that Catholics are doing right and well as a means of inspiring and encouraging others to do the same. We are hope-filled, optimistic, and forward-looking.

We highlight the goodness and beauty of God’s creation and the truths of His Church. We find abundant joy in Catholic living and aim to express that joy through inspiring words, images, and ideas.

We move our readers beyond inspiration and toward action. We give Catholics the information, tools, and resources they need to answer God’s call to holiness and bring the light of Christ to others.

Catholic life is both uniquely joyful and uniquely challenging. At Catholic Digest, we invite all to join us as we encourage and support one another in the joyful, challenging, important work of faith and family living.